Oxford United 1 - 0 Leyton Orient
LDV Vans Trophy Southern Section Round Two

ORIENT'S interest in the LDV Vans Trophy, and their hopes of equalling the club's longest ever unbeaten run, ended at the Kassam Stadium as Oxford progressed to the area quarter-finals.

The O's went into the game without defeat in 14 matches, but as Martin Ling kept faith with the fringe players who had performed so well in the previous round, so his opposite number Brian Talbot selected his strongest line-up.

And in the end it proved enough for the U's as Eric Sabin's header midway through the first-half separated the two sides.

Ling was pleased to welcome back both Lee Steele and Donny Barnard after injury - but lost Glenn Morris with a suspected broken thumb after only 22 minutes.

Morris, starting a match for only the second time this season, injured his right hand when punching a ball away and inadvertently connecting with a home player in the process.

But his replacement, Glyn Garner, could do nothing five minutes later when Chris Hackett worked himself into space on the right and planted a cross on the head of Sabin, who made no mistake eight yards from goal.

Orient enjoyed plenty of possession, but were unable to carve out many chances.

Jabo Ibehre didn't enjoy his most productive night whilst fit-again Steele was starved of decent supply.

Wayne Carlisle and Daryl McMahon showed flashes of creativity - McMahon sending four dangerous balls through the Oxford back line and Carlisle using his skills and pace to good effect on occasions - but neither could force a breakthrough for the visitors.

A Carlisle free-kick two minutes before the break struck the wall and rebounded behind off the crossbar, whilst McMahon twice tried his luck from distance but Billy Turley dealt easily with both efforts.

Oxford striker Steve Basham was guilty of missing two early chances - in the first minute he sent a header wide and then on 13, after rounding Morris, he shot into the side-netting from the left of the penalty area.

On the stroke of the half-time whistle, Orient were denied what should have been a penalty when Ibehre saw his run in the box blocked by Leo Roget, but referee Lee Probert, if generous in awarding Ibehre the decision in the first place, was incorrect in deciding that the incident had occurred outside the area.

The second half was less eventful, with both sides creating three chances worthy of the name each.

For Orient, Steele was on the end of all three: turning sharply on to an Aiden Palmer ball in the box and shooting across goal; leaning backwards to head a cross from Jason Demetriou wide and then shooting well over from 15 yards after a decent passing move.

Demetriou, along with Gary Alexander, came on for the last quarter of the game, and both players added some bite to the O's attack, particularly 16 year-old Demetriou, who was positive and precise from right-back.

Oxford's chances were all well saved by Garner, as he parried shots from Sabin and Basham and acrobatically turned a Hackett drive behind for a corner.

1	OXFORD UNITED	LDV VANS TROPHY SS 2		LEYTON ORIENT	0
19	Billy TURLEY	Kassam Stadium - 24/11/05		Glenn MORRIS	12
2	Lee MANSELL	Ref: Lee Probert (Gloucs)		Donny BARNARD	2
3	Matt ROBINSON	Att: 1521 (149 away)		John MACKIE (C)	6
4	Barry QUINN	Goal:		Wayne CARLISLE	7
5	Chris WILLMOTT	Sabin (27)		Craig EASTON YC	8
7	Chris HACKETT			Lee STEELE	10
9	Steve BASHAM			Daryl McMAHON	17
10	Chris HARGREAVES (C)			Jabo IBEHRE	19
18	Eric SABIN YC			Derek DUNCAN	20
23	Leo ROGET			Aiden PALMER	23
32	Adam GRIFFIN			Christian HANSON	25
	SUBSTITUTES	Replaced (time)		SUBSTITUTES
1	Chris TARDIF (GK)		12 (22)	Glyn GARNER (GK)	1
8	Lee BRADBURY	9 (HT)	19 (65)	Gary ALEXANDER	9
14	Jude STIRLING			Brian SAAH	21
21	Mark E'BEYER			Efe ECHANOMI	22
29	Andy CAMPBELL		2 (67)	Jason DEMETRIOU	24